Infiniti, Nissan stand out in first-visit scheduling

Consultants urge dealerships to schedule the first service visit before a new-vehicle owner or leaseholder leaves the store, as a way to build loyalty and retain service business.

But an online survey of consumers last month found that while 36 percent had their first service visit set before they hit the road, an equal 36 percent did not. The other 28 percent said they couldn't remember.

In contrast to that lukewarm showing, half of respondents who had visited an Infiniti dealership said their first service appointment was scheduled before they left the building. And 49 percent of Nissan customers said the same.

At the other end of the spectrum, just 22 percent of Jaguar Land Rover customers said they had a service appointment scheduled before they drove off. Among BMW customers, the share was 28 percent.

This table shows how various brands with at least 100 responses stack up on first-visit scheduling.

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Q. When you bought or leased your most recent vehicle, did the dealership schedule your first service appointment before you left the building?